Guardiola may renew his contract with Manchester City for one more year

According to reports, Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola may renew his contract with the club, and the FA has not given up on the idea of inviting him to manage the England national team.

Jason Burt, chief football reporter for *The Telegraph*, reports that Guardiola is considering a 12-month contract extension with Manchester City, while also being asked if he is interested in becoming the next England manager. Over the past few months, Guardiola has received invitations from three different football associations, including the FA. His current contract with City is set to expire at the end of this season, and it is understood that both the FA and other national teams are eager to know his intentions.

Guardiola is interested in managing a national team at some point in the future, and it’s known that money won’t be a significant factor in his decision. The 53-year-old Spanish coach understands that neither he nor any national team manager would earn as much as they do in Europe’s top clubs, and he’s willing to accept the role as it is. Given the previous belief that his salary demands would be too high, the possibility of him being attracted to managing England could be exciting, but it’s important to remain cautious about whether he is genuinely interested at the moment.

Nevertheless, Guardiola has not ruled out formal talks with the FA about replacing Gareth Southgate. If he decides to leave Manchester City, managing the England team would be a strong option. He also likes the country and the squad, and hopes to eventually lead a team in the World Cup.

In considering his future, he will not be constrained by deadlines. It is said that Guardiola could make his decision as early as next week, next month, or even next year. It’s also entirely possible that he could leave Manchester City when his contract ends and take another sabbatical, similar to when he left Barcelona in 2012 and moved to New York.

However, initial reports suggest that the most likely scenario is that Guardiola will extend his contract with Manchester City, albeit for only one more year. City would prefer a longer-term contract, but they would still be pleased if he renews for even a short period. This would mean Guardiola’s tenure at City would reach 10 years — a full decade — as he joined in 2016 and enjoys the idea of completing this chapter with the club. His last contract extension was in November 2022, which extended his deal until 2025, but if he stays, it’s expected to be a short-term extension.

The FA has already been in contact with several candidates, and Technical Director John McDermott continues to update the shortlist for the next permanent head coach. The FA has made it clear they are not limiting their search to English coaches, and if Guardiola shows any interest, he would undoubtedly be at the top of their wish list. The FA feels it would be negligent not to reach out to Guardiola, given his contract situation and his expressed desire to manage a national team at some point in his career. He fits all the criteria the FA is looking for in a new coach, and he has a deep appreciation for the England team, which includes players he has worked with or developed, such as Phil Foden, John Stones, Rico Lewis, and Cole Palmer.

When asked about his future last Sunday, Guardiola said on an Italian television show: "Leaving Manchester City? That's not true. I haven't made any decisions, and the talk of me becoming the next England manager isn't true either. If I make a decision, I'll say so… I don't know, anything could happen." Despite this, the FA has not received any clear encouragement from him.

Guardiola’s longtime friend, City’s Director of Football Txiki Begiristain, who helped convince him to join the club in the first place, has confirmed that he will leave at the end of the season. His position will be filled by Hugo Viana from Sporting Lisbon. Reports suggest that Begiristain’s departure will not influence Guardiola’s own decision, despite their close relationship.

Foreign coaches, including former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel and Tottenham Hotspur’s Australian coach Ange Postecoglou, have been included on the FA’s shortlist, as well as domestic candidates like Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe and Graham Potter, who left Chelsea in April last year.

However, the next England manager will not be Lee Carsley, who is temporarily in charge for the Nations League matches. After England's 3-1 win over Finland in Helsinki last Sunday, Carsley stated that England needs a “world-class manager who has won trophies,” and that he is not at that level in his career. Carsley later tried to retract that stance and hinted that he was open to the position, saying he’d be happy to be part of the coaching team even if he doesn’t get the top job.

When asked if he believes the next England manager must be English, Carsley said: “No, absolutely not. What matters is that the most suitable candidate gets the job. We've seen people from different nationalities manage this team in the past, so the most suitable person should get the job. If we don't, we're backing ourselves into a corner, and we need to broaden our thinking a bit.”

When asked whether, given his recent experience with the senior team, he would prefer to be part of the new coaching staff or return to coaching the U21s, Carsley said: “I really enjoy my job with the U21s. As I've said, I’m working for a great organization, and John (McDermott) and my bosses will decide what I do. I'm happy to do whatever is asked of me.”

The *Telegraph* previously reported last week that sources inside and around the England team are convinced that Carsley will not seek to hold the position permanently after the six Nations League group games end next month. It is now believed that he is no longer under consideration by the FA.